Two Edges of One Sword (Carlisle Cullen/Reader/Charlie Swan)

X

The silence creeps in the car when your Mom switches the radio off, and the trees outside flicker towards-and-away as the car strides along the street.

For a moment you don't say anything, but she beats you to it.

"You wanna tell me why you were on the evening news last night?" She isn't looking at you, though you knew she would if she could. You gnaw on your lip for a moment. The hum of the car bounces around your ears while you try to think of something to say. "I know you haven't wanted to talk about what's going on at the cafe, but for god's sake (Name)," she flashes a glance towards you, "what the hell happened?! First you come home all banged up, now someone's dead??"

"Mom," you crossed your arms against your chest, "Mom if you really wanna know, it..." you paused.

"It what?" This time she speaks mildly, seemingly trying not to seem abrasive. You inhale deeply and look outside again. The sun's rays peeked in-and-out of the indigo clouds as they rolled further and further into the sky. Even with the windows all the way rolled up, you could smell the dust of the incoming rain.

"I–I was closing, the other night," you looked down, "and the last thing I had to do was to take out the trash, right?"

She doesn't answer but instead nods. The car gently jolts as she turns the corner.

"Some guy tried to rob me while I was... taking it out...."

"WHAT?" Her head whips to face you again, this time dismay painted among her face. "(Name), I swear to god, if you laid a hand on someone else–"

"Are you kidding me right now?" You snapped.

"It's all starting to make sense now," she wailed, "that's why you came in fucked up the other night!"

"I didn't do anything!" Your voice begins to raise, matching along with hers. "I didn't hurt him!!!"

The car finally whirs to a stop after your Mom pulls into the parking space. Neither of you say a word, but you could feel the heat of frustration pooling right under your face. You snap your head away from your mother and look outside, the hospital's shuttered gaze staring straight back.

"(Name), when we are finished with what we need to do here," she sounds calm, but you can tell she's holding back. She points to a car key at the hospital, "you're gonna tell me what happened when you came in the other night. Are we on the same page?"

"Yeah, at this point," you halfheartedly kicked the car door open and jumped out, "I'd love to tell you what the fuck happened."

You barely heard your name over the car door's slam.

–

They had asked at the front desk if your Mom had wanted to come in the room with you. It wasn't obvious but you were a borderline nervous-wreck. Normally it wouldn't have mattered, it was your Mom's choice at that point. Something in you (maybe it was spite) told the lady behind the desk to leave her in the waiting room.

This was only your second time here, but for whatever reason, it felt familiar. You sway your legs back and forth as the sounds of footsteps and chatter vibrate from behind the door. You sucked a breath in and glanced at the fluorescent-lit clock, reading '2:12'. You grimaced a little and put your face in the palms of your hands.

The wooden door swings open, seemingly hearing your thoughts, and you're almost embarrassed at how quickly you perk up.

"(Name)!" He smiles the second your eyes meet and he shuts the door. You quickly swallow as you watch a strand of platinum hair descend onto his forehead. "Good seeing you again so soon," his frigid hands abruptly grab yours into a handshake, "is it just you today?"